DALLAS — Beginning in 2024, Topgolf will be an officially sanctioned event with Special Olympics, company officials announced this week.
Topgolf, which has its corporate office based in Dallas, said Special Olympics athletes will be able to compete in Topgolf as an individual or with a team through Special Olympics Unified Sports, an organization which joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team for training and competition.
There are more than 80 Topgolf venues around the world, offering a variety of tech-driven games with a food and drink menu to enjoy from.
"We have a responsibility now more than ever to invite everyone into the game of golf, and our partnership with Special Olympics will help us further unleash the power of play and bring more joy to more people," Topgolf Chief Brand Officer Geoff Cottrill said.
Topgolf said it will offer free practice sessions and exhibitions to Special Olympics athletes and Unified Sports participants as soon as May.
"I've been at Topgolf for 14 years, and this partnership will go down as one of the things I'm most proud of," said Topgolf's Director of Charitable Initiatives Tiffany Brush. "Topgolf is changing the traditional definition of 'golfer,' and to see Special Olympics athletes so enthusiastic about Topgolf is a clear example of how we're making the game more inclusive and open for all."
Starting Sept. 15, players who visit a Topgolf venue throughout the U.S. and the U.K. will have the opportunity to donate to Special Olympics as part of Topgolf's "Season of Giving," which lasts through Oct. 31. Topgolf officials say their goal is to raise $10,000 per venue, with an overall goal of raising $500,000.
Within the "Season of Giving," Topgolf will hold two "Days of Giving" on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27, where Special Olympics athletes visit Topgolf venues to interact with players on those days.
"A partnership with Topgolf will help Special Olympics demonstrate to the world how inclusive sport training and competition is a catalyst for inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities," said Lou Lauria, Chief of Sport and Competition at Special Olympics. "Special Olympics and Topgolf are completely aligned on the belief in the unlimited power of sport. What starts on the playing field extends into classrooms, workplaces and communities."
In 2024, Topgolf will host the first Unified Fore Joy fundraising tournament at five U.S. venues, bringing together Special Olympics athletes, unified partners, professional golfers, celebrities and supporters.
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